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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174252">co-parenting</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterkillz/pseuds/winterkillz'>winterkillz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, And Ana, And Maria, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Cats, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, No Howard Stark, Only Jarvis, Short One Shot, Tony Stark Has A Heart, i think</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:29:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,285</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25174252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterkillz/pseuds/winterkillz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you want him?”</p><p>“What?” Bucky blinks, confused. Of course he wants the cat, but as he had just said, he can’t take it home. He’s been keeping this poor thing alive for a week now. He’s been wanting to take it home since day one.</p><p>“Take the kitten. Get in the car.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>247</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>co-parenting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>for the non-binary alpine's fashion week gc, for sage &amp; mari</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every morning.</p><p>Every <em>goddamn</em> morning. James Barnes sparred with other boys his age behind the school near the baseball field. Tony Stark could see them from the parking lot, tirelessly fighting each other for no reason (or a reason Tony does <em>not</em> know) as if they’re in a boxing club, except their school doesn’t have one. Tony doesn’t like the view. Tony doesn’t exactly like James, either. So he minds his own business — hugs his driver Edwin goodbye and goes to class.</p><p>By the time it’s 11 o’ clock, James comes in to class with bloody band-aids on his knuckles and stupid bandages on his cheeks. Tony always side-eyed him, curious, yet wanting to keep his distance. James doesn’t seem to be the person you’d want to mess with. This guy <em>never</em> runs out of enemies for some reason.</p><p>Before the last bell rings, James is always gone.</p><p>-</p><p>“Have you ever been in a fight?” Tony suddenly blurbs out in the car, holding his physics textbook on one hand, his phone on the other.</p><p>“Sir?” Edwin answers, a bit perplexed, looking back to Tony through the rearview mirror.</p><p>“There’s this guy in my class. He’s always fighting people.” Tony snorts, flipping a page. “Does he even study? The teachers don't seem to care at all when he skips classes.”</p><p>“It’s high school, it’s just the way some kids are.” Edwin answered, “Make sure to stay away from them though. Seems like they’re bad influences. I’m sure you know better.”</p><p>Tony doesn’t respond after that. His mother played a big part in building the school through funding, everybody knows that. Students tend to either stick close to him for popularity points or completely shun themselves away to stay out of trouble. Tony never cared. He’s there to study and he <em>is</em> studying. Occasionally he wishes that his best friend Rhodey didn’t have to study abroad.</p><p>-</p><p>Ana always packs a delicious lunch for Tony that gets everyone in the cafeteria jealous as hell. As usual, his schoolmates try to sit with him, though he blocks all the chit-chats by putting on his trusty earphones.</p><p>One bite of his roast beef sandwich, then Tony looks up. He sees James. Odd, he’s never seen him in the cafeteria ever since James transferred here which was in 10th grade. He sees him with Natalia Romanova on a table. James stands up and takes the money from Natalia’s hand and bolts out of the place.</p><p>“Did he just... take her lunch money?” Tony says out loud, confusing the people around his table. He stands up and follows James discreetly.</p><p>Tony doesn’t usually snoop around other people’s business. However, this James guy sparks some interest in him. A part of him believes he wasn’t stealing money, but what if he was?</p><p>James seems to be taking the longest route to the exit. Tony hides behind lockers and trash cans and shelves, spying on the suspicious guy, preparing to confront him and lecture him about how what he just did was bad.</p><p>Finally, James rushes out to the door towards the baseball field, the spot where Tony usually finds him in the morning.</p><p>Tony looks around. He’s gone.</p><p>“Why are you following me?”</p><p>A voice from behind startles Tony, making him yell a cuss and jump. He got caught. Great.</p><p>“I’m not following you.” Tony retorts as if that makes things believable.</p><p>“Yeah, right.” James rolls his eyes. Tony noticed how <em>short</em> this guy is and yet he looks like he could bite off his arm any second now. “What’s your deal with me?”</p><p>“Nothing. Why did you bully Natalia into giving you money?”</p><p>James’s brows furrow. “You were watching us?”</p><p>Tony opens his palms. “Hand it over or I’ll tell the principal.”</p><p>Quietly, James stares at Tony, as if thinking <em>this guy is out of his mind.</em> He does know who Tony Stark is, and how fucked he can get if he gets in trouble with him specifically.</p><p>“...No you wouldn’t.”</p><p>James was right though. He wouldn’t.</p><p>Tony takes a breath, and Bucky merely strides away from him.</p><p>-</p><p>“Did you seriously stalk James yesterday and confronted him about my money?” Natalia’s grin was of amusement, opening her Hamlet book to review.</p><p>“It was the right thing.” Tony shrugs it off, passing a screwdriver to Bruce. They’re in the Robotics Club room right now, and the deadline to this bot he would call ‘Help-R’ for the inter-school robotics competition is near. It doesn’t help that James Barnes won’t leave his mind.</p><p>“I gave it to him. He’s a friend, Tony.”</p><p>“He has friends?”</p><p>“<em>You,</em>” Natalia flips a page, “are such a meanie, Tony. But yes. We’re friends. He’s going to buy some cat food, apparently.”</p><p>Tony stops fiddling with the wirings. Cat food, huh.</p><p>“Thought he was a bully. He fights so much. Have you seen him in the morning? It’s me who gets exhausted just by looking at him.”</p><p>“He’s a nice guy.” was the only answer Natalia gives, then the bell rings.</p><p>-</p><p>In Biology class, James receives a paper from the front seats.</p><p>DO YOU HAVE A CAT?</p><p>— TONY</p><p>James blinks. He writes <em>no. why do u care ?</em>  and passes it back to his classmates. He watches until it reaches Tony again, Tony’s disappointed facial expression entertaining him.</p><p>Today, Tony concludes that James eats cat food for lunch.</p><p>-</p><p>As usual in every English class, James didn’t attend.</p><p>The bell rings.</p><p>-</p><p>Today, Tony learns that James is called ‘Bucky’ by everyone except Natalia.</p><p>-</p><p>The week has been nothing but rain. P.E. classes are indoors and Tony’s class is stuck playing dodgeball with the underclassmen. Thor and Sam are the only ones he has this class with and guessing with their crossed-out attendance, the two <em>ditched</em> him.</p><p>While he’s busy contemplating how he’s going to interrogate the two when he sees them again, Tony gets hit by a ball flat on the face. His glasses get broken in half.</p><p>He kneels down and picks up the fallen frame. Luckily the lenses are intact. Then, he sees blood dripping from his nose.</p><p>Someone offers him a handkerchief. He looks up.</p><p>“Bu– James?”</p><p>Bucky blinks at the stuttered nickname, never realizing that Tony Stark would acknowledge that. Either way, he helps the poor guy stand up. Tony hesitantly grips the handkerchief and pats his nose, slightly dizzy from the hit.</p><p>Bucky sits Tony down on the bleachers, unzipping his backpack and taking out some tissue for Tony to use instead of his handkerchief. Sneaking a peek inside, Tony notices that Bucky has a first aid kit of his own. He assumes he uses them everytime he gets into a fight. Looking closely, the bruises in Bucky’s knuckles look pretty new, as well as the cut on his lower lip.</p><p>“You’re not in this class.” Tony says as a matter-of-factly.</p><p>“Happened to pass by.” Bucky takes the halved glasses from Tony’s hands and places them on the seat. He then opens another zipper and takes a plastic first aid tape out, carefully wrapping it on the broken part. Tony watches as he stuffs his nose with tissue.</p><p>When the frame is perfectly imperfect, Bucky gives it back to Tony. “Here. I know you can buy hundreds of frames if you wanted to but use it for today. Be careful next time.”</p><p>Bucky stands up, swiping up his things and dumping them in his bag.</p><p>“Wait... Thanks, James.”</p><p>“Just Bucky.”</p><p>-</p><p>Thunder booms as the students scurry out of the school. Everyone is struggling to keep their bags or books or jackets above their heads, running. Tony has Jarvis holding an umbrella above his head, walking straight to their car.</p><p>Clint Barton zooms past a few students before meeting with Tony halfway.</p><p>“Oh!” Clint stops and waves at Tony, firmly grasping the book bag above his head. “Heading home?”</p><p>“Yeah. Didn’t you have an umbrella two days ago?”</p><p>Clint seems to frown at the question. “Bucko borrowed it in the fourth period today. Should’ve known he wasn’t gonna show up after.”</p><p>Tony shrugs. Everyone he’s friends with seems to be friends with Bucky. “I can give you a ride?”</p><p>“Nah,” Clint motions his hand. “Gotta stop by somewhere, don’t really wanna trouble you. Thanks though!”</p><p>With that, Clint jogs away. Tony and Edwin proceed to their car.</p><p>The rain starts pouring harder as the vehicle moves. Tony doesn’t usually look out of the window in car rides, but today he watched the drops race downwards — then something catches his eye. Not far away from school, by an alley, a guy is crouched down holding a familiar purple umbrella over a drenched box. He himself is drenched too, slightly flinching at the lightning crackling. Tony realizes it’s Bucky.</p><p>“JARVIS STOP THE CAR!” Tony exclaims which makes Edwin slam the breaks, both of them lunging forward.</p><p>“What’s the matter?” Edwin asks, looking over to Tony. He watches him unfasten his seatbelt and open the door. “Sir!”</p><p>“Hey!” Tony calls but Bucky doesn’t move. “Hey Bucky! Are you alright?”</p><p>Bucky looks over his shoulder yet ignores Tony, hunching into the box further. Tony clicks his tongue and runs out of the car, with Edwin immediately reaching for the umbrella to run after and cover Tony.</p><p>“Is that–”</p><p>Before Tony could speak, a <em>tiny</em> meow was heard out of the blue. He examines the box and sees a can of half-eaten cat food at the bottom and a pair of peeking white ears moving around inside the container.</p><p>“Is it your cat?” Tony asks. The thought of the cat being referred as his own made Bucky turn to Tony briefly.</p><p>“No,” Bucky answers, reaching for the kitten who immediately cuddles against his hand. “My dad is allergic.”</p><p>Tony pauses.</p><p>“Do you want him?”</p><p>“What?” Bucky blinks, confused. Of course he wants the cat, but as he had just said, he can’t take it home. He’s been keeping this poor thing alive for a week now. He’s been wanting to take it home since day one.</p><p>“Take the kitten. Get in the car.” Tony turns away along with Edwin, expecting Bucky to follow him but he didn’t.</p><p>He spins, huffing. “Come on, Bucky. We’ll take it to the vet.”</p><p>Bucky takes a moment to think. The kitten will have more chances of surviving if it gets taken to the vet. Leaving it is not an option either, and he thinks he’s going to catch a cold if he stays here in the rain longer.</p><p>Bucky picks up the kitten and places it inside his hoodie for extra warmth. The kitten meows as thanks which makes Bucky inevitably smile.</p><p>Today, Tony learns that Bucky’s smile makes him smile somehow.</p><p>-</p><p>The car ride was the quietest Tony has ever been in. He didn’t know how to start a conversation with Bucky because they weren’t exactly friends nor acquaintances. Edwin didn’t attempt to talk to Tony either. Both Bucky and Tony stole side-glances of each other, with Bucky keeping himself busy with the cat in his hoodie.</p><p>In the hospital, Bucky and Tony sat three seats apart while waiting for the cat’s results. Bucky shivered and sneezed so Tony offered his own jacket. Bucky declined, so Tony threw it over his head.</p><p>Tony starts initiating conversation. Surprisingly, Bucky was willing to answer.</p><p>He finds out that the people Bucky fights are <em>bullies</em> who often make fun of his best friend. Being the stronger one, he does his best to protect and the only thing he knows as a solution is to fight back. Tony apologizes for judging Bucky and thinking he’s a thug. Bucky stays quiet afterwards, having accepted every single judgement people had bestowed upon him.</p><p>Bucky had also wanted to ask why Tony kept the taped up glasses instead of getting a fresh pair but he keeps it to himself.</p><p>By the time the nurse brings the cat out, Bucky has already decided what to name it.</p><p>-</p><p>“Are you sure you want to do this?” Bucky stares at the cat sleeping on top of the expensive, tufted ottoman in Tony’s house. “You don’t have to.”</p><p>“Would you rather have Alpine in the shelter?” Tony sighs, leaning forward to gently pet the kitten on the back. He’s already growing on him and he hasn’t even had him for a day yet.</p><p>Tony and Bucky came to an agreement that Tony will keep the cat. Bucky was either told to give Alpine up to the shelter or adopt him since he’s not microchipped.</p><p>“I love him already. I’m shopping for toys tomorrow, wanna come?” Tony grins at Bucky as the other leans back to the couch. Hesitance is all over the brunet’s face, though his hazel eyes say otherwise.</p><p>“So everytime you do something with him, I’ll be involved, right?” Bucky crosses his arms. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Tony, it’s just that… he found Alpine and he’s admittedly attached. He wants to continue feeding him. Know he’s okay and growing up well. Play with him.</p><p>“Of course.” Tony answers as if it was <em>obvious</em>. “We’re like co-parenting. Doesn’t it sound fun?”</p><p>“It means we have to hang out all the time so I can hang out with the kid.”</p><p>Bucky calling Alpine their ‘kid’ makes Tony stifle a laugh. “Not necessarily. If you need privacy when you’re visiting here I can just go somewhere else. It’s fine.”</p><p>“And your mom’s okay with this?”</p><p>“Prooobably.”</p><p>Bucky purses his lips into a line. Alpine will probably have a better lifestyle here in this mansion anyway. Besides, he thinks Tony isn’t so bad after all.</p><p>“Okay.” Bucky stands up. He offers a hand to Tony. “Deal.”</p><p>Today, Bucky learns that he wants to be Tony’s friend.</p>
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